Running a hot tub in 2026 will cost you roughly €20 to €80 a month in electricity — depending on the type of hot tub, its insulation, and how often you use it. A quality acrylic hot tub with full insulation and a thermal cover typically stays within €28–48 a month for year-round use, while an inflatable hot tub used daily can eat up more than €72 in winter. In this article you’ll find concrete kWh figures, a clear cost table, and methods proven to bring down your electricity bill.
What makes up a hot tub’s energy consumption?
A hot tub’s electricity bill is made up of four components. By far the largest is water heating — in standard hot tubs this is handled by an electric heating element with an output of 2 to 3 kW, typically accounting for 70–80% of total consumption.
The second component is filtration. The circulation pump runs several hours a day (in quality hot tubs often continuously, but with an output of only around 150–250 W) and keeps the water clean. Third are the massage pumps — they draw a lot of power (1.5–3 kW), but only run during use, so their share of total consumption is small.
The fourth component is inconspicuous but decisive: heat loss. Water at 36–38°C constantly gives off heat to its surroundings — through the surface, the walls, and the floor. The worse the insulation and the colder the weather, the more often the heater has to kick back in. It’s heat loss that makes the difference between a hot tub costing €24 a month and one costing €80 a month.
What kWh consumption should you expect by hot tub type?
The range is wide and depends mainly on insulation quality. An international overview of running costs for 2025 (Buenospa, 2025) gives the following daily consumption ranges for modern hot tubs:
- Small hot tub for 2–4 people (approx. 750–1,100 litres): 3–5 kWh a day, or roughly 90–150 kWh a month.
- Medium hot tub for 4–6 people (approx. 1,100–1,500 litres): 5–6.5 kWh a day, or 150–195 kWh a month.
- Large hot tub for 6 or more people (over 1,500 litres): 6.5–7.5 kWh a day or more, or 195–225+ kWh a month.
These figures apply to acrylic hot tubs with quality insulation. Manufacturers of the best-insulated models cite steady-state running costs with a thermal cover of around one dollar a day; an independent Colorado study cited by manufacturer Arctic Spas found running costs for a fully insulated hot tub under 60 cents a day, compared with more than 75 cents for standard foam insulation (Arctic Spas, mountain-climate test). European manufacturer Aquavia Spa states that under normal conditions, its models cost around €30 a month (Aquavia Spa, 2025).
An inflatable hot tub is a different league. A thin air wall and a lightweight cover provide only minimal insulation, so the heater (typically 2.2 kW) has to run much longer. A real-world measurement of a 795-litre Intex PureSpa inflatable hot tub (Relaxeo.cz, 2023 measurement at €0.24/kWh) found that with daily year-round use, electricity costs ran to around €72 a month, or roughly 300 kWh a month — more than double a well-insulated acrylic hot tub of comparable size. Used just twice a week with maintenance heating switched off, costs dropped to around €19 a month.
How much does a hot tub cost monthly and yearly? A cost table
Calculation assumption: the table uses an electricity price of €0.24/kWh (typical household end prices in 2026 range roughly between €0.20 and €0.28/kWh depending on the distribution tariff and supplier — check your own price in your contract). Consumption figures are based on the ranges given above; they represent a year-round average at a maintained temperature of 37°C with bathing 2–4 times a week.
| Hot tub type | Consumption (kWh/month) | Monthly cost (at €0.24/kWh) | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inflatable (approx. 800 l), daily use, year-round | approx. 300 | approx. €72 | approx. €864 |
| Inflatable (approx. 800 l), used 2×/week, heated only before use | approx. 80 | approx. €19 | approx. €228 |
| Acrylic 2–4 people, quality insulation + thermal cover | 90–150 | €22–36 | €260–432 |
| Acrylic 4–6 people, quality insulation + thermal cover | 150–195 | €36–47 | €432–560 |
| Large acrylic 6+ people, quality insulation + thermal cover | 195–225+ | €47–54+ | €560–648+ |
For the sake of completeness: electricity isn’t the only running cost. According to a budget breakdown from Relaxeo.cz measurements, you should also budget roughly €8–10 a month for pool chemistry and filters, plus the cost of water changes (around €4 a month for an 800-litre hot tub). A Czech consumer overview (Spotřebitelov.cz) estimates total annual costs of around €872 for an 800-litre hot tub used three times a week, of which electricity accounts for approximately €600.
Want an exact figure for your own hot tub? The simplest approach is a power meter or a smart plug that measures consumption on the hot tub’s supply line (for hard-wired models, a sub-meter in the distribution board). A week of measurement in winter and a week in summer will give you a realistic annual average, letting you calculate the payback period for any efficiency investment — from a new thermal cover to a heat pump.
Winter vs. summer: how big is the difference?
Substantial. Heat loss increases with the temperature difference between the water and the air — and while in July the hot tub only has to heat water up from a comfortable 20°C ambient, in January it’s fighting freezing conditions. For a well-insulated acrylic hot tub, winter consumption tends to run roughly 1.5–2× higher than in summer; for an uninsulated inflatable hot tub the difference can be even more pronounced, since the heater runs almost continuously during frosts.
In practice, this means the annual average from the table above breaks down month by month into something like €24 in July and €56 in January. If you don’t use an inflatable hot tub over winter, it pays to drain and store it — a quality acrylic hot tub, by contrast, is built for year-round outdoor use, and winter bathing is one of its main selling points.
How to cut the cost of running a hot tub
A quality thermal cover is essential
The biggest heat losses occur through the surface. A rigid insulating thermal cover at least 10 cm thick that actually seals against the shell is the cheapest and most effective saving — the hot tub should be covered whenever you’re not using it. A worn, waterlogged cover loses its insulating ability and is better replaced.
Shell insulation and base
For acrylic hot tubs, full foam or thermal-reflective shell insulation is what matters most; the Colorado test mentioned above found a cost difference of more than 25% between a well-insulated and an averagely insulated hot tub. For inflatable hot tubs, at minimum an insulating base pad and a windbreak help — a floor placed directly on cold paving is a thermal bridge.
Heat pump
An air-source heat pump produces several times more heat than the 1 kWh of electricity it consumes — manufacturers of hot tub heat pumps cite up to five times as much (a COP of around 5 at moderate temperatures). This can cut heating costs by 60–80% compared with a heating element. However, as Czech retailer IDOL SPAS (virive-vany-bazeny.cz) points out, a heat pump is no substitute for good insulation, and it pays back fastest with larger water volumes and year-round use — typically for swim spas or large hot tubs.
Lower temperature when not in use
Lowering the temperature by 1–2°C saves a noticeable amount without you noticing it while bathing. If you’re away for the weekend, turn the thermostat down to 30–32°C; switching off completely doesn’t pay off for an insulated hot tub, since reheating cooled water costs more than maintaining temperature. For an uninsulated inflatable hot tub it’s the opposite — if used only occasionally, it’s cheaper to heat only before bathing.
Correctly set filtration
Filtration should run just long enough to keep the water clean — no longer. For hot tubs with an efficient circulation pump, let the programmed cycles run; for hot tubs where filtration is handled by a large massage pump, unnecessarily long cycles drive up running costs. Clean filter cartridges also reduce resistance, so the pump works for less time. And well-maintained water means fewer changes — every refill and reheating of the full volume from tap-water temperature is a significant one-off cost.
A cheaper tariff and smart timing
A hot tub with an output over 2 kW is a good reason to check whether a low-tariff distribution rate or spot electricity pricing is available to you. Heating can be routed into cheap hours with a timer; for households with solar panels, a hot tub is an ideal appliance for soaking up surplus generation.
Frequently asked questions about hot tub running costs
How much does it cost to run a hot tub per month?
For a quality acrylic hot tub with insulation and a thermal cover, budget roughly €22–54 a month for electricity at €0.24/kWh, depending on size, plus around €8–10 for chemistry and filters. An inflatable hot tub used daily year-round comes to around €72 a month in electricity alone.
What is a hot tub’s consumption in kWh?
A well-insulated acrylic hot tub consumes an average of 3–7.5 kWh a day (90–225 kWh a month), depending on size and season. An inflatable hot tub used daily consumes around 10 kWh a day, or roughly 300 kWh a month.
Is it worth switching a hot tub off overnight or during the week?
Not for an insulated hot tub — maintaining temperature under a thermal cover costs less than repeatedly reheating cooled water. It is worth lowering the temperature by 1–2°C, or to 30–32°C for longer absences. For an uninsulated inflatable hot tub used only occasionally, it’s cheaper to heat only before use.
How much does a heat pump save on a hot tub?
Manufacturers cite heating cost savings of 60–80% thanks to a COP of around 5. The investment pays back fastest for large hot tubs and swim spas with year-round use; for a small, well-insulated hot tub, payback takes longer, and a quality thermal cover matters more as a first step.
Is running a hot tub significantly more expensive in winter?
Yes, for an insulated hot tub roughly 1.5–2× more than in summer, and even more for an inflatable one. Heat loss is what drives the difference: the colder the weather, the more often the heater has to kick in. A quality thermal cover and a sheltered location significantly reduce the winter surcharge.
Running costs, then, aren’t a reason to be wary of a hot tub — they’re a reason to choose one carefully. Over ten years of use, the difference between an uninsulated tub and a well-insulated one can add up to more than €4,000, so it pays to think about efficiency right at the point of purchase. Take a look at our range of hot tubs with an emphasis on insulation and energy efficiency — correctly dosed pool chemistry also keeps running consumption low — and you’ll find more practical guides in our Guide.
